Times have Changed
by madam-fandom
Summary: A quick story about Molly and Sherlock reflecting on how much they've changed in the last three years. Set after Season 3. A bit of Sherlolly at the end. Leave me a review! M


It was almost 2:00 in the morning, and Molly Hooper knew she wasn't going home for a while. She had already had 2 cups of coffee and was hard at work running tests for Sherlock Holmes, who was on his third cup. Both of them had worked silently for most of the night so far, but Molly grew tired of the silence.

"Sherlock? Do you ever feel like you've changed so much that you can barely recognize yourself?" Molly looked up from the slide she was analyzing and glanced at him. He looked up, a bit confused by the question.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want, I was just thinking about how much we've changed in the last three years." Molly rambled on, knowing she was boring him, but caring less by the second.

"No, I understand. We have changed a lot. Remember how shy you used to be?" He chuckled and she smiled.

"I was so smitten. It was silly. I just went along with everything! I even dated Moriarty!" Molly said, laughing at the end.

"That was ridiculous. But you were a bit desperate. But then you started to realize how horrible I was. And I apologize for that." Sherlock looked at her, waiting for her to meet his eyes and accept his apology.

"I was so complacent; it was like I didn't have a mind of my own, and then suddenly I was keeping a massive secret for you. I hated you for a while there; you always said the most horrible things, and yet I still cared for you." She focused her microscope, waiting for a response.

"I treated you so badly, and you still helped me. You've always mattered. And you always will matter. But after I came back you were so different. So much more independent."

"Ah, yes. Tom. Poor man, he was just so dull. He was just a temporary part of my life. I tried so hard to move on from the suicide that I forgot who I was. When you came back, it was like he was irrelevant."

Sherlock got up and refilled her coffee cup, eliciting a smile from her.

"He was so dull; I couldn't believe you put up with him. I almost lost it when you stabbed him with a fork at John and Mary's wedding." He smiled at her as he sat back down, ruffling his hair a bit. Molly laughed.

"I feel a bit bad about that. But we don't interrupt deduction time, now do we?" She winked at him, looking up from the eye piece of her microscope. She switched the slide out and stained it a bit more so she could see better.

"He should have known better. But what was the most shocking thing you've ever done?" Molly grimaced, knowing this was coming.

"When you hit me!" He looked up, his eyes full of mock accusations. Molly frowned.

"Don't you start," She scolded. "You got high again, we trusted you to behave yourself, and you go find drugs. That was entirely your fault." She raised her eyebrows at him, daring him to challenge her. He smiled back.

"True, It was my fault. You really did pack quite a punch. I was surprised. It actually hurt. I knew that you'd hit me sooner or later, with me being generally irritating, but I never thought it would hurt. I'm proud of you. Hitting the Sherlock Holmes. Quite an accomplishment, really." He winked at her, and she smiled back.

"This one's positive, Sherlock." Molly said, gesturing to the slide she was holding.

"Let me take a look," He said, walking over. "What you don't trust me?" Molly teased.

"Nonsense. I just want to see for myself," He replied cheekily, leaning over her shoulder for a better look.

"You've changed too, you know." She said, poking gently in the shoulder. Sherlock pulled back, shocked.

"No I haven't!" He sounded a bit offended. Molly Hooper rolled her eyes.

"Of course you have. You used to be all emotionless, never caring about anyone. But that was before you met John." She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, then looked back to the slide she was examining, trying to deduce the blood type without moving the specimen out of the cloth it was on.

"But since then I haven't changed." He said, desperately trying to maintain his sociopathic title. Molly smiled gently at him shaking her head slightly.

"You were so nice after you met him. Not to me, but to him. You claim to have no emotions, but you can't fool me. You faked you death for two entire years to keep him safe. To keep Greg and Mrs. Hudson safe, too. You do care, but it's ok if you won't admit it." Molly said gently.

"I had to keep them safe, Molly. But he missed the one person who's always mattered. The person who I know will always treat me better than I treat myself. The person who will stay up all night to help me with a case. And that person is you, Molly Hooper." He said emotion evident in his eyes.

"Oh, Sherlock. I love helping you. It's exciting, and so are you. You keep me on my toes, Sherlock Holmes. You may have changed, but you've changed for the better." She smiled at him.

"As have you, Molly Hooper." He stood and walked over to where she was sitting and she spun to face him. He wrapped his long arms around her slender shoulders and pulled her in tight to his chest. She hugged him back, smiling over his shoulder. He rested his chin on her shoulder, realizing just how much he cared for Molly.

He pulled back and looked her in the face, making her meet his eyes.

"I know that I'm a ridiculous man, and that I am totally insane. But would you like to get coffee some time?" He smiled awkwardly.

Molly smiled at his discomfort. "Of course. Are you asking me out, Sherlock Holmes?" She teased.

"Never!" he said sarcastically. "But you look tired, and being the perfect English Gentleman that I am, I have to make sure that you don't pass out from exhaustion." He winked at the end and pulled her close again, this time pulling her in by the waist, realizing how terrible he was at being romantic. He would have to ask John about that some time. John was married after all; he should know something.

Molly Hooper smiled into his chest and did a victory dance in her head. After three years of pining after the untouchable Sherlock Holmes, she had finally gotten him. And there was a no percent chance she was going to let him go, because times had changed, and Molly Hooper was no pushover. Not anymore.

**A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed! Leave me a review if you liked it or if you hated it or if you read it at all. I hope I got it right! PM me with any ideas for new stories. I don't plan on continuing this, but I could if you guys review and say you want more. Anyways, Thanks for reading. Muchas Gracias my Lovelies! ~M**


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